Chapter 38
Chapter 38
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Flawless Magic Circle
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Ssssh—
The mana spread out without any obstruction, seeping into every corner of the magic circle. Seeing it emit a faint glow confirmed it was functioning perfectly.
'What the...?'
Did I have sleepwalking episodes? Had I tapped into some genius talent in my sleep and fixed every single flaw in the magic circle overnight?
'No way that's possible.'
Logically speaking, someone else must have corrected it while I slept.
And that someone was undoubtedly the elf. No one else in the mansion possessed that level of magical knowledge.
'But why would she help?'
I had no idea, but at least I wouldn't be humiliated thanks to her. A magic circle this intricately constructed would earn some leniency, even if the actual spellcasting failed.
At the very least, His Excellency the Count wouldn't face any disgrace from the imperial family on my account.
Knock knock—
A knock sounded right on cue. I shook off my fatigue and lifted my head.
"Come in."
The door opened, and Harbid entered. His face showed a hint of tension.
"Family Head. VIPs have arrived from the capital."
"VIPs?"
"Five imperial palace mages and Professor Roilen from the Imperial University Mage Tower."
They'd sent a full professor from the university tower as inspector. It was about what I'd expected, so nothing too surprising.
"Prepare the finest refreshments and receive them in the parlor. I'll wash up quickly and join you. I can't meet imperial representatives looking like this."
"Understood. I'll see to it."
Harbid bowed his head and left the room. No time to dawdle—I gathered my things and headed out of the office as well.
*
After freshening up, I made straight for the parlor.
I entered with my incomplete report, research log, and the paper inscribed with the magic circle. There sat Professor Roilen from the university tower.
He was dressed in the stylish attire popular in the duchy—something like the tailcoats Harbid always wore, commonly called a suit—and he was chatting amiably with the elf at the table.
My heart skipped a beat for a moment, fearing the elf might cause a scene, but the warm atmosphere suggested otherwise.
I approached quietly. Roilen rose from his seat and greeted me with a bright smile. His handsome features radiated a healthy middle-aged charm.
"You must be Viscount Theobald. I apologize for arriving earlier than scheduled."
"I'm the one who should apologize for the delay. I hope my slave didn't cause you any discomfort."
"Discomfort? Haha. You're too modest."
Roilen glanced back at the elf. Unlike usual, she was bowing her head politely, her neat posture evoking the image of a well-trained maid.
"I'm embarrassed to say it, but I lost track of time talking with her. She mentioned linking bio-waves to magical respiration could simplify incantations—an idea that's brilliantly original, feasibility aside."
Roilen chuckled heartily and shot me a subtle, appreciative glance.
"It really drove home how limited my own knowledge is. Did she study magic separately?"
"If it's the slave you're referring to..."
"I'm not talking about the slave. Enough with the humility. How could a mere slave discourse on magical fundamentals? I know it's you, Viscount Theobald—with your vast knowledge—that she's picked up a crumb or two from and relayed to me."
What a massive misunderstanding.
"I don't possess knowledge anywhere near as extensive as you're describing. Compared to you, Professor Roilen, what I've learned is barely a drop in the bucket."
"Excessive humility can be its own poison. And drop the formal speech. I'm no noble treated as such even in the capital—certainly not out here in the provinces."
What nonsense. The title of full professor at the university mage tower commanded respect across the entire empire. It required the emperor's personal approval just to be appointed.
To slight a university mage tower professor was tantamount to slighting His Imperial Majesty himself.
He held a position no noble could treat lightly, yet here he was, testing me.
I felt a twinge of irritation and shook my head.
"We can't, for the sake of our respective dignities. There are too many watching eyes."
"Hmm. I didn't mean to put you in a tough spot. Very well. That aside, Viscount Theobald, might I see the diagram for the 'artificial rainfall' magic you've been researching?"
"Ah. The report and research log first..."
"I mean the diagram itself. The rest is just procedure."
He wasn't wrong, but rules existed for a reason. Still, I couldn't very well refuse an inspector's direct request.
I rummaged through my things and handed him the magic paper.
"Here you are."
"Oh, splendid. Thank you."
He accepted it reverently with both hands, then drew a luxurious wand from his breast pocket and tapped the paper. The sheet floated up and unfurled sharply to either side.
Considering the nearly eight years of effort I'd poured in—five, excluding the stagnant last three—now up for evaluation, my neck felt stiff with tension.
Of course, the elf had elevated it to an extraordinary level, but that didn't ease the nerves. I kept my composure on the surface, though.
"Hm? How in the world..."
Roilen stared intently at the magic circle before pulling a pair of spectacles from his pocket and putting them on. He then scrutinized it even more meticulously.
He muttered to himself about circuit connections, symbol linkages, and pattern compatibilities, but ultimately found no flaws. Finally, he let out an exclamation of awe.
"My goodness."
He seemed genuinely stunned. Folding the paper, he clenched his fist, unable to hide his excitement—like an explorer who'd just discovered a new continent.
"I heard imperial funding was cut three years ago. Is that correct?"
"Yes, it is."
"And no regular reports since then?"
"That's right."
"I glanced at the records from back then before coming here... This is unbelievable... No offense to you, Viscount. It's just that independent research without imperial support achieving such explosive progress is virtually unheard of."
His excitement undimmed, Roilen lightly gripped my shoulder.
"We can't waste time here. Let's head out right now and run a manifestation test with the palace mages. A magic circle this flawless might even succeed on the first try! This is groundbreaking!"
"Professor Roilen, if you could just calm down a bit..."
"Calm down? This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to witness magic that could go down in history!"
"I get it, just stop tugging..."
"Come on! I'll show you the way!"
Why were a mage's hands so damn strong? With no choice, I let him drag me out of the parlor.
*
The elf found Roilen's theatrics amusing.
A chance of success on the first try? Speak sense. Human mana pools were pitifully tiny, like insects, but she'd made success a certainty.
'Because I designed it that way.'
This magic circle was infused with the accumulated experience and knowledge of her long life. Theobald's spell would succeed, and the arrogant short-lived human Roilen would have no choice but to acknowledge him.
If that meant her toy got fixed, it wasn't a bad outcome.
'Might as well watch.'
Far more entertaining than sweeping the yard back at the mansion.
As the elf turned to leave the parlor, someone grabbed her clothes and yanked her back.
Gah! She stumbled backward on instinct and whirled around to find Harbid smacking her on the head with an angry scowl.
"You little pest! Can't you see the other servants cleaning the table? Instead of helping, you're trailing after the Family Head like a lost puppy—do you have a brain in that head or not!"
"Ha."
Her face hardened coldly as she glared at Harbid.
'Should I kill him?'
The elf was starting to genuinely despise Harbid.
The path to the front yard.
As they walked the corridor, Roilen's mouth never stopped moving.
"I was purely astonished. To achieve such monumental progress in a mere three years! Even the elite professors at the tower couldn't manage that. Myself included."
"Three years hardly qualifies as 'mere.'"
"With progress this monstrous, it does. I'm not exaggerating for no reason. And to remain so humble after results like these... Well, they do say true geniuses never realize their own brilliance."
My conscience prickled. Part of me wanted to confess that the elf—you know, the one you'd just been chatting with—had fixed the magic circle for me.
But I couldn't, so I clamped my mouth shut. Roilen pressed on, steeped in his grand delusion.
"It's a bit unexpected, though. With His Majesty issuing one radical policy after another, imperial magic research has naturally veered in that direction, hasn't it?"
He seemed to await a response, so I nodded.
"His Imperial Majesty seeks to purge all the world's impurities."
"Indeed. I came across some ancient records mentioning how all peoples and beasts once trembled under the Esteban Empire. Seems His Majesty was deeply inspired by that era."
"Do you know His Majesty personally?"
I probed lightly, and Roilen smiled knowingly.
"Not particularly. I served as a military advisor and beheld his countenance a few times, that's all. But the impression... well, he seemed utterly convinced that recreating that past glory would realign the hearts of the wayward populace."
"It sounds strange. The empire has no need to retrace old footsteps. It still reigns supreme over the continent as an empire."
"Ah, of course. Just my personal musing. As one who loves this nation and has sworn loyalty to His Majesty, I'm merely voicing a humble opinion."
I shot him a displeased look, and he shrugged.
"Got off track there. To the point: amid the empire's current push toward lethal magics, for you alone, Viscount Theobald, to declare pursuit of artificial rainfall research—it's impressive."
Just as Roilen said, declaring lethal magic research in the current empire drew far more imperial support. Completed spells fetched double the rewards of others.
In this era, it was taken as obvious that anyone building credentials for a capital posting would study destructive magic. Not everyone had to bend to the tide, though.
"It's not that impressive."
I was one of those who couldn't conform.
It was a chronic affliction. The thought of others getting hurt by my magic made it impossible to even consider destructive research.
After much deliberation, I'd settled on artificial rainfall. If I was going to do this, I wanted my magic to bring happiness to as many people as possible.
Once I dove in, my skills couldn't keep up, leading to endless frustrations...
"Not impressive, you say."
Roilen seemed to interpret my words differently, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
"To perfect a diagram of this caliber to near-flawlessness and call it unimpressive—what realm must you have attained? It's beyond my meager grasp."
"No, that's not what I—"
"Have you ever considered teaching at the mage tower? Someone of your caliber, Viscount Theobald, could impart tremendous knowledge to the students."